Mill l i 1776* March. V-r'Y'W1 ita as it was turned quite topfy-turvy. Befides the danger which one o f our Hottentots and two of the hind oxen were in of breaking their necks, I had the mortification of feeing my colle&ion of natural curiofities trundle down the hill, in confequence of which they received conliderable damage* I look upon it, however, as peculiarly fortunate» that I was at this time near at hand, by which means I, in iome degree, preferved them. On the 2 2d we had, with great care and trouble, got the waggon, together with our wearied oxen, through the remainder of Art aquas-kioof, having been obliged: to unload it in two difficult places, and carry the contents of it ourfelves. Our holt at Hagel-craal, who had hirn- le lf travelled a good deal in this country, was peculiarly happy at our having got off £0 well. This, night there fell frequent ihpwers$ hut on the 23d, being arrived at JHoning* klip, there fell the whole night throughout the molt dreadful heavy rain known in the memor y of man,; which continued, though with fomewhat lefs violence, all the nextday, being the 24th, by which means? on the 2-5 th, the road leading from hence was intirely impaffable. On the 26th we paffed Waljche-nvier. They began now, in this part o f the country, to take: advantage, o f the; wet that had fallen, for lowing-, but though every grazier in this country has a greater quantity of land, draught-oxen, and bread than he wants, yet the farmers here had hardly everyone a plough-ihare to themfelves, and this as well for want of fmiths as of iron; which, even in the town it- felf, are difficult to he procured. It; hurt me extremely, that.thefe good people ihould not be more plentifullyTupplied plied with a metal with Which our country abounds almoft to excels, and o f the implements made o f which probably all South-America is not lefs in want than the fouthern part of Africa : where I at this time faw a wealthy farmer wringing his hands and complaining, that he could not take advantage of the wet weather, on account o f his plough being broken, and was obliged to wait till he could borrow one of his neighbours. I mull juft mention here, that a plough-ihare, 19 inches broad and 27 long, fuch as is commonly ufed in this: country, .cofts from three to five rix-dollars ; and a fmall round-ihouldered fpade,; with a peaked point, which might be bought in Sweden for ten- pence, is fold at the Cape for fix times that price. Copper veliels alfo bear a high price in this country, but thè demand for them\ is| by no means confiderable ; 1 and they muft be wrought after the peculiar faffiion of the country: March 27th. Notdiaving; had occafion to remark, during the whole journey* the leaft difagreement among the Hottentots, excepting that a youiigt Hottentot girl pretty feverely rallied one-of the fame nation, older than herfelf, for wearing too fmall, and confequently indecent a fneite, or apron, we were the more furprized to fee this day, at Zdete-melk's-rivier, a terrible fierce battlè between two Hottentots; Imuft not, however; forgfet; to mention, that the combatants were man and wife, both equally fmall and ftunted in their growth, as well as equal in point of ftrength ; both bom and bred in the fervice of the Chriliians, and both dreffed in the Hottentot faffiion. There was at that time nobody at home but a-few Haves, who every now and then parted them ; but on the leaft 5
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